Automatic signal apparatus for liquid-holding tanks.



Patented-Tab. I8, |902.

y y .1. E. Jonsson. AUTOMATIC SIGNAL APPARATUS-FOB LIQUID HOLDING TANKS.

lApplication, med July 31, 1901.)

(Nollodel.)

IWW

`wITNEssEs=' l 529.9%

2 sheets-sheet 2.

Fmg. Plas.

UNrTED STATES lPATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. JOHNSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL APPARATUS FOR LIQUID-HOLDING TANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming' partY of Letters Patent No. 6l9,650, dated February 18, 1962.d

' Application filed July 31, 1901.

To ctZZ 'whom t may concern:

Be itknown that I, JoHNE. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident ofv Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Signal Apparatus for Liquid-Holding Tanks, of which the following is a specication.

My invention consists of improved apparatus for use in connection with liquid-holding tanks Awhich are to be frequently filled and emptied for automatically signaling when full and when empty, as hereinafter'described, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in whichy Figure 1 is a vertical section of a tank partly filled with liquid, showing the signaling apparatus in a general view with some details in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the apparatus for indicating the full condition of the tank. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of theapparatus for indicating when the contents of the tank have run out. Figs. 2 and 3 are drawn to a larger scale lthan Fig. 1.

A represents a large sheet-metal`or boilerplate tank, such as employed in many industries for holding liquids and which is required -to be filled and emptied frequently, as for measuring large quantities, and demanding attention for shutting o the supply or turning it on and for other purposes when the respective operations terminate. Let it be supposed that such a tank is, as represented in Fig. l, in the process of filling with liquid. The liquid will at a certain height reach a float et, to which is attached a stem o, guided below the iioat in a bracket c, and above said float extending up through the top of the tank into a small case cZ, supported by any suitable standard e and having the centrally-perforated bottom plate f, in which stem b is guided above the float. A collar g, suitably adjusted and fixed to the stem d above bottom f, limits the fall of the float. The stem b reaches from said collar when resting on said bottom of the .case nearly to the cover h of the case. On the under side of'this cover two electric contact-pieces t' and j are mounted, with a suitable intermediate insulatingpiece 7c in an electric bell or other electric signal-circuit, whereof Z is the battery-wire and m the return-wire. The connection of the Serial No. 70,412. (No model.)

from above, say, the open position t into con-` tact with r, thus closing the circuit through said switch preparatory for future action, but leaving said circuit open through contacts tj. The float is ypartly counterbalanced by the weighted lever u for sensitiveness of action. Now it will be seen that when the liquid rises in the tank and lifts the iioat the upper end u, of the stem will close contacts tj, complet ing the circuit and giving the bell-signal notifying the attendant of the fullness of the tank. Then the attendant having been duly notified will open `the switch preparatory to the next operation, and having given proper attention by shutting off the supply of liquid and -opening the discharge will await the signal empty," for which theffollowing apparatus is provided in accordance with my invention.

A cup wis suspended within the tank just above its bottom by a rod .fr in suitable guides y .e and in the centrally-perforated bottom 2 of. a case 3 similar to case d and similarly mounted on the top of the tank, said cup being also counterbalanced by a weighted lever, as 4, this being adjusted so as to lift the cup when submerged, and the contents of the cup are balanced by the surrounding liquid. The fall of the cup when the tank is empty is limited by a collar 5, attached to stem .fr within case 3, coming to rest on the central hub 6 of the bottom of case 2, and the rise of the cup is limited by the upper endv 7 of the stem lodging against the under side of the cover 8 of said case. The signal in this case is preferably a lamp 9 to distinguish it from the signal for full, and the electric circuit is practically the same as for the other signal; but the arrangement of apparatus is for closing the circuit and operat- The wir- Thus Z', n', and n2 constiing the signal when the cup falls. ing is the same.

IOO

tute the main battery-Wire; fm', the returnwire. o' is the switch. p is the axis of the switch; q', the lever-arm on said axis; s', the collar on the stem of the lloat, and t" and j' are the contacts for completing the circuit when the signal is to be given; but contact z" is located on the bottom of case 3 and coutactj is carried on the collar 5, which limits the fall of the cup so as t close the circuit when the fall occurs, and switch 0', axis p', lever q', and contact i" are so located relatively to collar 5 thatrthe switch is closed when the cup rises preparatory for the completion of the circuit when the cup falls. t indicates the open position to which the switch is set by the attendant after the signal has been given.

It is to be noted that in this improved signal apparatus the circuit is automatically closed preparatory to its operation and its closing is thus always insured, whereas it is liable to be sometimes neglected when the closing is dependent on the Watchfulness of an attendant, and in this case it is the opening that is dependent on the attendant who may be relied on for this operation, as the continuing signals will attract his attention.

What I claim as my invention is- The combination with a float-actuated electric-signal circuitcloser,of a circuit-breaking switch to interrupt the signals in advance of the recession of the fioat, and means to be automatically actuated by the reverse motion of the iioat to reset the switch preparatory for the successivey operation.

Signed at New York city this 12th dayof July, 1901.

JOHN E. JOHNSON.

lVitnesses:

C. SEDGWICK, A. P. THAYER. 

